The construction of two tiny homes on the site of ex-public toilets is bringing "severe disruption" to a village, according to its residents.
Last January, Epsom Council’s planning committee approved plans for two one-bedroom homes where the loos used to stand, in London Road, Ewell.
Building work on the little properties, on land which measures just 0.019 acres, started three weeks ago and the building which previously housed the toilets has been completely demolished.
FROM SEPTEMBER 27, 2012: Ex-public toilets in Ewell Village to become one-bedroom maisonettes?
FROM JANUARY 17, 2014: 'Squalor of Industrial Revolution' to blight picturesque Ewell Village after tiny toilet homes approved
Residents have said the project’s developer Cannonside has shut one lane of the road for the construction work which is resulting in big tailbacks.
One of the conditions placed on the 17-week construction process when planning permission was granted was for access to the road not to be blocked.
Although the development's architect has denied the road is being blocked off, Brian Angus, chairman of Ewell Village Residents’ Association (RA) said it is and "the disruption is severe".
Mr Angus said: "It was so bad a police vehicle took a quarter of an hour to get down the road."
Ewell RA councillor Clive Woodbridge said Epsom Council was unconvinced the developer was meeting its conditions and the parties have reached an "impasse".
He said: "They have blocked a lane and it had led to traffic and tailbacks.
"The inconvenience caused to date has been too high.
"Ewell Village RA opposed the development and still remain very sceptical of the two very small dwellings."
An Epsom Council spokesman said: "We understand the developer is working on compliance with the conditions and, in the meantime, has been advised that work on the development must cease."
A Surrey County Council spokesman said it has helped Epsom Council to determine the conditions and, if there is a breach, it will "take this up with the developer".
The toilets were auctioned off by the cash-strapped council in 2012 for £68,000 - a move which was described as "degrading" by the elderly population of the village.
A council spokesman said the toilets were under-used and it was not cost effective to keep them open.
Brian Angus is unhappy with the "severe disruption" the building work is causing in Ewell Village
Scott Evans, design director at Open Plan Architecture, said on behalf of Cannonside: "It's obviously a very difficult site because of its location.
"We are not closing off any of the lanes but have to make deliveries now and then for 15 minutes or so.
"We are not doing anything that hasn't been agreed.
"The site is very contentious.
"Lots of people are unhappy it's happening but the council sold the site and gave approval to the development."
The Epsom Guardian's impression of an artist's impression of what the homes will look like
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